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Kumar: Teachers can help instil a sense of worthiness in children

By
Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created:
Feb 6, 2014 at 12:07 AM ECT

Story Updated:
Feb 7, 2014 at 10:04 AM ECT

Teachers’ training should not only focus on academics but on inculcating values and a sense of worthiness in children, says chief executive officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber, Catherine Kumar.Kumar was responding to questions from the media yesterday following a seminar on polygraph testing in business, hosted by the chamber at its Westmoorings headquarters.Kumar said everyone needs to come together, including parents, teachers, churches and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).“The teachers’ training should not only be about the academics, they have to understand that a very important part of their delivery of the service to children in the school is also inculcating a sense of worthiness,” said Kumar“I don’t want to bash teachers, but teachers right now, I think, pretty much go to school, do the academics and they run out. In my days, every teacher had to have some extra-curricular activities that they did and they were responsible for, that’s not so today,” she added.“The social fabric of Trinidad and Tobago is really hurting, hurting very deep,” she said.Kumar said women are forced to go out and work as fathers are absentee and do not contribute financially.Because of this, she said, children are left alone without proper care and this speaks to the need for more home care centres throughout the country where they can be taught certain things such as life’s values.“These children are becoming mothers before they are really grown up, they may be 19 years of age based on their birth certificate, but they are still pretty much children in their outlook, in their level of maturity in what they are being taught.”Kumar said there is the issue of many single parents in society and when a mother is killed the question must be asked as to what happens to the children.She said the crime rate continues to be of concern to the chamber.“We continue to be alarmed at the rate at which it continues,” she said.Kumar said while the National Security Ministry is working on several initiatives, “I don’t think we are seeing the quick action we need to curb the murders that are happening.”